GETTING LOST

Ken Godmere had some kind of brain-thing happen to him, he
lost his short term memory. He couldn’t even go for a walk around
the block without getting lost. No one was sure why this was happening,
or how they could fix him.

After a while he just got better. A medical mystery.

Ken Godmere, in his neighbourhood. Photographed for Ottawa Magazine

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ON TRYING

I have this vaguely uncomfortable feeling that drool is
drifting. But how it can drift when it was conceived as
a free-floating forum for any ideas, out takes, flotsam
and jetsam that may cross my mind or my desk?

Elgin Street, Ottawa

Sure, there are no rules. But just like my (personal)
photography, I kind of hate to settle for less, for things
that don’t really represent me.

Eminem, one of my heroes, rhymes this:

…..I’m desperate at my desk
If I can just get the rest of the shit off my chest
Stuck in this slump, can’t think of nothin
Fuck I’m stumped, but wait, here comes somethin
Nope, it’s not good enough, scribble it out
New pad, crinkle it up, and throw the shit out
I’m fizzlin now, thought I figured it out
Ball’s in my court, but I’m scared to dribble it out
I’m afraid, but why am I afraid?
Why am I a slave to this trade?
Cyanide I spit to the grave……

I believe that most of the best creators are never really
satisfied, never want to settle for “good enough”. Sure,
I understand that not everything you do can be “the best”.
I know that it’s the process, the self doubt and questioning
that are the real engines behind doing “good” work. I also
understand that not everyone wants to submit themselves
to the process, the self doubt and the questioning.

Personally, I like to really try. Even when I’m shooting some
mundane thing just for money, I try to find some little aspect
of the job that will interest and challenge me. After all, the only
other option is boring.

Elgin Street, Ottawa; with advertising poster I shot

Problem is, as Homer Simpson says: “Trying is the first step
towards failure”.

Me, I’d rather fail trying than just go along.

Younge Street, Toronto

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TWELVE SUKI’S

Suki Lee, author, asked me to shoot some pix of her….publicity
shots and some stuff for her web site.

We shot upstairs, in my funny little studio.

Like I often do during shoots, after a bit of shooting I did a fast
edit and pulled a bunch of the shots into the Light Table thing
in Aperture, the program I use to download and browse. I find
it helpful, not to mention fun, to play around a bit with what I’m
doing, while I’m doing it.

Screen grab

Of course, this was a relaxed shoot, one where I had the opportunity to
play. Not every shoot affords that possibility, sometimes I only have the
subject for 10 or 12 minutes.

Anyway……..

After I dragged the selects into the Light Table thingy, after we played
with them a bit, it occurred to me that strings of photos might look swell
on her web site.

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RUTH AND VERN

Ruth and Vern have been married for 50 years. During that time they’ve
had one “official” portrait sitting. 50 years ago.

Randy, one of their sons, asked me if I’d shoot them to celebrate their
Golden Anniversary.

As usual, I said I’d only do it if I could do what I wanted. Fortunately
Randy, who’s the Director of Strategic Services at McMillan, one of the
ad agencies I work with, knew my work and assured me I would have
free rein. Ruth and Vern were a dream to work with, open to all my
weird suggestions and stuff. They even seemed to enjoy the energy,
concentration and process that is a photoshoot.

I also did some shooting that, it seemed to me, would be more “normal”.

And, hey…..50 years married? We had to end up in the bedroom.

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PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

Bar, Palm Springs

Baby Pit Bull, Palm Springs